| Both parents have a legal duty to support their | | | | arrangement. Additional factors affecting the |
| children financially, even after divorce. Child | | | | amount of child support payable, include whether: |
| support is the amount of money paid by one | | | | • There are shared or split parenting |
| parent (the Payor) to the other (the Recipient) | | | | arrangements |
| for the care and upbringing of dependent children. | | | | • The payor earns more than $150,000.00 |
| The amount of money one person pays the | | | | • The payor is experiencing financial |
| other for the support of children in the care of | | | | hardship |
| that other person is called child support and is | | | | SPOUSAL SUPPORT BASICS |
| now determined by the Child Support Guidelines. | | | | The law on spousal support is constantly evolving. |
| The guiding principle of Canada's child support law | | | | Generally, if one spouse earns more money than |
| is that children should continue to benefit from the | | | | the other spouse, he/she may have to pay |
| financial means of both parents just as they | | | | spousal support. |
| would if the parents were still together. | | | | How Spousal Support is Determined |
| Therefore, if you are divorced or separated from | | | | Canadian courts have the authority, upon granting |
| the other parent, you are still both responsible for | | | | a divorce, to decide the issue of spousal support. |
| supporting your children financially. Your children | | | | The courts keep four objectives at the forefront |
| are entitled to chills support by law if they are | | | | when deciding spousal support issues. These are: |
| under the age of majority and still dependent on | | | | 1. To recognize the economic advantages or |
| their parents. If your children are over 18 or 19, | | | | disadvantages arising from the marriage or the |
| they may be entitled to support if they cannot | | | | divorce. |
| become independent because of an illness, | | | | 2. Once child support obligations have been |
| disability or "other cause". Courts often order | | | | established, to divide, between the spouses, any |
| parents to pay child support for an older child | | | | financial consequences arising from the care of |
| going to university or college. | | | | any child. |
| Determining the Amount of Child Support Payable | | | | 3. To relieve any economic hardship a spouse |
| The amount of child support that is payable is | | | | might suffer as a result of the marriage |
| based on Federal, or Provincial Child Support | | | | breakdown and promote the economic |
| Guidelines. Factors that are taken into | | | | self-sufficiency of each spouse. |
| consideration include the number of children, the | | | | 4. To promote the economic self-sufficiency |
| annual income of the payor, and the custody | | | | of each spouse within a reasonable period of time. |